To literally stomach a bug
by Linneagb
Summary: During a long weekeend the whole team is going to a place called Whale's Bay to surf. It doesn't go very well for Heath when he comes down with the stomach flu just as they're about to leave. But then... he's somehow lucky when someone stays behind, and it's not only Jilly. Quite pointless sick!fic


**Well. Here we are, my first and so far only try to a blue-water-high-fanfiction. I watched a bit of the series when it first came out. I have now lately watched the first season and a bit on YouTube. But even though I'm waiting for the rest of the series to come up on YouTube I wanted to write something so here we are. It is set some time in the first season. **

**I have seen the rest of the series now. But it's been a while so I hope I can get the characters right. **

**It's told from a few different point of views and switches in between the ones that suits the most for the moment. Whenever it switches there is a line that says "Fly/ Heath pov" **

**Fly POV **

"Are everybody ready to go?"

On Thursday morning, one week when we had Thursday and Friday off for some random teacher's conference on the other side of town. A trip had been planned for the whole weekend, we had all looked forward to going to what was apparently called "Whale's bay" to surf for the whole weekend. And from what we'd heard from Simmo we could all just imagine the best surfing waves of the century.

So it had felt like ages before this morning when we were finishing off breakfast and Simmo dropped the car keys loudly on the kitchen table. The noise caught everybody's attention and it was to show he was ready to go.

"I was born ready."

"Like never before."

"I couldn't get much more ready than what I am right now."

"When are we leaving?"

"Where's Heath?"

"Late per usual."

As on a given signal on Edge's comment we all could hear heavy footsteps upstairs and then Heath finally showed himself coming down the stairs towards the kitchen.

"We're leaving as soon as you've all finished breakfast." Simmo grabbed a piece of burnt toast and held it up. "Actually I… I think I'll be happy with yoghurt or something." He threw it on the plate again and went over to the fridge. "Good morning Heath. But are you alright? You look terrible."

"Ugh."

Heath didn't respond much to Bec's comment. With a moan he slumped down on a chair and put his head in one hand. And with fingers wrapped in his hair so it pointed in every possible direction he looked if possible even more miserable than he had a minute ago. With the heaviness and stiffness in every move he made it really was as if everything hurt him and Simmo was absolutely right. Heath did look terrible- worse than terrible.

"I don't feel so good."

And if the way he looked told us about how bad he felt- it was nothing against how his voice sounded just so tired and hoarse.

"Well Heath." I couldn't help but frown, Heath flinched when Edge patted his shoulder and it almost looked as if the soft touch hurt him. "What are you doing? The last time you were like this you didn't want anyone to know you had copied Matt's school work. What's up this time? What are your plans for this weekend? Is there someone you have to meet here down on the beach? A party?"

"Ugh."

"There's a bit of, "the boy who cried wolf" over this. Don't you think?" Anna asked, but still looked hesitant when she pushed a plate with black-burned toast over the table to Heath. Then mumbled something in German I didn't understand while she turned back and towards the dishes while Heath was turning a nasty shade of green looking to the toast.

With Anna's breakfast- making skills I couldn't have blamed him though!

Then all of a sudden, at the sudden movement I flinched when Heath more or less jumped onto his feet and ran the few couple of steps towards the stairs and the toilet before Perri was suddenly right in his path just at the same time as he heaved and threw up.

"AH."

Perri threw her arms out to the sides when Heath threw up on her shirt as if doing her best not to touch it.

"Eurgh!"

"Disgusting."

Well, I guess Heath could have done with hearing the disgusted comments from the table and if that could do anything better I sent Matt and Bec each glare. It wasn't as if Heath, or anyone that would have been as ill as he was could help it at a point like this.

"I'm sorry Perri."

Flinching and heaving again Heath pressed his lips hard together and with a hand over his mouth ran past Perri and up the stairs, then we could all hear him keep heaving as soon as he reached the bathroom.

"Doesn't seem like fake."

"This isn't fake." Perri answered Bec and pointed to her shirt. "I can smell it. Badly. And I… I… I cannot get ill. I can't. Every time I get ill I…" She suddenly seemed unsure about something and hesitated. "I can't get ill… Really."

In panic so typical for Perri she looked around as if anyone would suddenly know how to do it to turn back time and stop Heath from throwing up right on her.

"Put it straight in the laundry machine." Jilly took over while Perri was still staring and panting with her arms out to her sides. "As warm as possible. That will kill the bacteria. And all of you, before you go- wash your hands before you leave. Properly, with soap. If you've caught that then there's not much you can do about it now. But you can reduce the risk of getting it as much as you can. Then go off to Whale's Bay and have as much fun as possible…" She gave a deep sigh and threw the burnt toast in the trash. "…Shame Heath got ill right in time for this. Out of all times he could have caught it and gotten time off school... Stop laughing Dean Edgely. It isn't funny."

"Do you mean it shouldn't be? It shouldn't be but… It's Heath."

"And Heath is feeling terribly enough without anyone joking around, laughing at him or making rude comments. So unless you can do something else of your time then just ignore it or leave. I bet Simmo could use some help getting the last of you guys' things into the van."

Edge didn't answer, but he grabbed a piece of the toast Anna had given to Heath and ignored people commenting in silence.

I on my place wished that Heath would finish and come downstairs again so that we could actually see he wasn't dying or anything. But then of course, the painful heaving that was just so unbelievable loud. Well, Heath wasn't going to be down here right now. And he probably felt dying to add to that.

"Definitely not fake." I couldn't help but state. "And really. Heath was looking forward to this trip more than any of us." I looked up when we could all hear Heath heaving and coughing again. "What timing! But what was that you said Anna? In German?" Anna raised an eyebrow. "Just as you gave Heath that toast you said something. What was it?"

"Ich denke, das wird uns zeigen, ob Heath die Wahrheit sagt oder nicht. "

There was more than one raised eyebrow in the room before Anna translated. And for the moment I thought that as soon as I could I would ask Anna to teach me some German- could be fun to know more than only English.

"I was just saying that giving him that toast…"

"Burnt as usual."

"That if he really wasn't feeling well." Anna glared at Edge for commenting, Edge was the only one who always ate what she cooked anyway. "Then only giving him it would tell us if it was for real or he was making something up."

"That's clever." Edge really couldn't get enough of that commenting, could he? "I'm not so sure Heath would agree though. But it sounds like he's finished for now at least." We could hear the toilet flush and then moaning and groaning while Heath got up- this house was really built in a way to make it impossible not to hear everything everybody else were doing.

Anna sighed and rolled her eyes at Edge. Then took the plate with the rest of the burnt toast and threw the rest in the trash.

"Before it can make anybody else throw up."

"Ugh." Stumbling and stomping Heath came back down the stairs and first looked to the chair he had been sitting on before. Then stumbled over to the fridge and leaned his forehead against it. "That's nice."

"Here." Jilly stepped over, gently pushed his head to the side and then felt his forehead. "No guys. Not fake." Heath moaned again. "You can't blame them for thinking that Heath. Not after last time. But this is real and no surfing for you this weekend- you'll have to stay here with me."

"I'm good with that."

Okay? Heath not wanting to surf?- this really was bad.

Then I couldn't help but worry. And something clenched in my own stomach when I saw him lean his forehead against the fridge- it wouldn't have surprised me if he had sunk onto his knees to be able to hold it against something colder, something colder as in the freezer. And meanwhile I searched for something at all to say to know that Heath wasn't actually dying.

"You can borrow my bed while we're away." I sent a partly questioning look to Jilly and she nodded. "By the time we get back you might feel better and that way you don't have to kill yourself climbing up and down that ladder for the bunk bed."

"Thanks Fly." Heath mumbled without moving. "You're the best." But then. Won't you catch… whatever kind of bug this is then?"

"Oh bugs don't work on me. The bacteria that sees me, go 'oh my! It's Fiona Watson, no point with trying on this one' And then leave. I haven't been ill since I was five- and that was food poisoning." I tried to smile at Heath to assure him that he really didn't have to worry about anything, well not for me at least. "But of course, as long as Anna don't mind you staying in our room."

"I don't mind." Anna shook her head. "Fly's right. That will be better than if you've got to get up and down that ladder every time you need… something. I hope you feel better soon Heath. Now come on. Deb is waiting for us outside." She threw her backpack over one shoulder.

"Feel better Heath."

"Yeah feel better."

We all shouted pretty much the same sentence over and over backwards on our way towards the door. Most things were already packed, but I was the last one out the door after I'd put all food back into the fridge.

"Feel better Heath."

"Ugh." Heath moaned back while I reached for my backpack that laid on a kitchen chair. "Have some extra fun for me, will you?"

"Yeah. I'll make sure to do that..."

…_That shouldn't be too hard. _

I didn't put on that second half of a sentence since I didn't want Heath to feel worse.

Then all it did in my head was making me feel worse about him not being able to come to Whale's Bay with the rest. And even more, so to the point I froze halfway to the door when I felt bad about really feeling how much fun I was going to have without him.

"Are you okay Fly?" I suddenly felt Jilly next to me, and with her hand on my shoulder I flinched back to reality. "You're not getting ill too are you?"

"Nope. I meant it- I don't get ill." I was interrupted by Heath moaning once again. "Feel better Heath. I just thought I had maybe forgotten something. But I remembered, I packed it last night and put it in the car. Bye." Before I could hesitate and change my mind I turned my back against Heath and Jilly and left for the driveway just as Simmo shouted.

"FLY? Are you coming?"

"Yes of course." I leaned down to grab my board but was still looking up towards the house. "I just think it is a bit sad that Heath has to stay behind all by himself. He really did look forward to this trip after all."

"He won't be all by himself." Simmo told me and took the bag from me. "Jilly will be here with him." I couldn't help a sigh. "I know Fly. But I've seen Jilly when one of the kids gets sick- believe me. He is well taken care of."

"Uh-huh. I know."

I did notice the way my words were short and not concentrated while I waited behind Bec to be able to put my board into the back of the van. Then barely had the board's bag been laid on top of hers in the back when I reached for it again and started pulling it out while the others got into their places.

"Actually, I…"

"Come on Fly. Get in the van. Now."

**Heath POV **

I doubt that it's always been so lovely to hear the others of solar blue's yearly group to leave as it was for me in the moment I was left alone with Jilly while I heard the others chattering while they left.

"That's great." I mumbled- I just couldn't find the energy to open my mouth to speak properly "Getting ill just by the weekend. Why can't I ever get ill on a Monday?"

"Don't worry about that now. Now, get away from the fridge and upstairs- Fly's bed. It was nice of her to say that. I wouldn't trust you to get up and down that ladder without dying the next couple of days." I rolled my eyes. "Bed! Now!"

"But it's so cold here. And cold is nice."

"I'll come up with a wet cloth for you. Bed! Now! If I so have to carry you myself."

I was too tired to even risk that…

But it probably hadn't ever taken anyone so long to get up the stairs in this house as me right then, stumbling and on stiff legs I thought I'd drop dead at every stair. And when I finally Fly's bed I was terribly out of breath only from the short walk from the kitchen and collapsed onto my back, and barely having the time to close my eyes and feeling a cold, wet cloth being laid on my forehead I drifted off.

Wasn't it strange how the whole body worked with just a rise off the temperature, I was never one to dream a lot at night. Well, except for when I had a temperature.

"No…"

I tried to shout when a crow the size of an elephant had taken my surf board in its mouth and then ran down towards the beach.

"No. Give that back."

The crow gave some hoarse shrieking, laugh- like noises and managed to get the surf board on its back across its wings but continued running down towards the beach while I followed. But held back by something that I couldn't see holding back my legs.

"HEY. GIVE TH…."

With a sharp intake of breath my eyes flew open. The first thought in my head being that I had the taste of vomit left in my mouth, half a second later I was thinking of the trip we were making to Whale's Bay, only third was remembering what had happened this morning. And wherever I was going it wasn't to Whale's Bay.

I sighed and pushed myself up on my elbows, only falling right back when the muscles gave up on me.

"JILLY?"

I turned on my bed, I would have liked to get a glass of water myself but I wasn't even able to half sit so it didn't feel like the best idea.

I got no answer- that was weird! I wouldn't have imagined Jilly leaving when someone of "her" children were sick. ¨

"JILLY?"

I just needed a glass of water to get rid of that sour taste away from my mouth.

"JILLY?"

Would I have to get it myself I'd probably fall asleep, or die on the way- the latter more realistic.

"Jilly went to the store. Can I help you?"

I looked up when the door to my room opened and our smallest, youngest friend leaned in.

"Fly?"

"The one and only!"

"What are you doing here?"

"Well…" She shrugged. "I thought you might need some company… or at least you will when you feel better."

I thought back to where the rest of our group had gone. To Whale's bay and all happiness there had been of talking about it. All the counting how many days were left and Simmo talking about his happy memories from this place.

"I'm not exactly the best company right now."

Fly gave a shrug, she didn't look as if she regretted her decision to stay. Knowing Fly she wouldn't even let me know if she did.

"Anyway, you were calling out for Jilly. Can I help you with anything?"

I hesitated, what if I just ended up being a pain in the butt for one of my best friends?

"Don't worry Heath. I can get whatever it is you want… Well, maybe not an banana shaped as a balloon and tastes like an apple but as long as it's not like that."

"Ha- ha." I was in no state of taking a joke right now especially not it being about food. "Very funny… but if you could get me a glass of water then it would be perfectly enough."

"A glass of water coming for Mr. Heath."

No matter what Fly said today it would not make me laugh, especially not when I just almost did and the movement in my stomach muscles almost had me heaving again.

"Here." Fly soon came with a big glass of clear water. "Jilly just came back from the store too. She bought some ginger ale so if you… can literally stomach this water you can try some of that. And if you can literally stomach that she also bought apple sauce and white bread…"

"Fly…" I moaned. "Can you stop talking about food, please?"

"Sorry. Here." She handed me the glass and I was just barely strong enough of the fever to be able to lift the arm that I wasn't lying on and pour half of the water on myself and the pillow when I tried to drink. "Oh… I'll get some paper towels and dry it."

"No." I half sat up and took another sip from the glass. "It's nice and cold…" Putting the glass on the bedside table I laid down again. "Nice and co…"

It ended up even nicer when I pushed myself up and leaned over the bucket that had been put next to the bed. I guess that water wasn't a good idea because obviously it was that one making its way the same way it came and I was being punished for being so damn stupid.

At last I slumped down towards the bed again, and watched as Jilly came into the room and took the bucket from the floor babbling something about that she'd clean it- I was a bit too dizzy to even hear what it said. And the dizziness threatening to only make me sick again I closed my eyes.

I must have drifted off and fallen asleep because the next thing I knew the bucket was back by the bed and I for sure hadn't seen or heard anyone who put it back. I for sure was quite relieved for that because while the dizziness was gone the nausea was most certainly not.

"Eurgh."

I leaned to my side and had started vomiting almost before I was leaned over the bucket. It wasn't many seconds until the next heave struck my body and my stomach cramped until what I had eaten mixed with sour bile made its way through my throat and into the bucket.

I closed my eyes. Tasting the sour yuk was bad enough, having to hear it made it worse, and then it wasn't at all as bad as having to see it.

Therefore I didn't quite know who came inside the room and sat down on the edge of the bed before I heard the voice.

"It's okay dear…" Jilly rubbed my back soothingly. "It's okay. You're just being sick, try and relax."

Just being sick? Well so was I for most of the Thursday and half of the Friday during a time I should have been in the coolest Bay of Australia having the greatest of fun with my friends.

When I woke up in Friday noon, the first thing I did was to lean over the bucket standing by my… well, Fly's bed for the millionth time in the last twenty six hours or so. But it took me only a few seconds when I realized I wasn't feeling as nauseas anymore and wasn't about to heave.

No… Other direction.

"Uh- oh."

I more or less flew out of the bed not knowing if I'd make it to the bathroom quite in time.

And then when I did it was with the tore wide open and I could hear Fly failing at suppressing a laugh- this certainly wasn't funny at all.

"YOU LAUGH ONE MORE TIME FIONA WATSON." I had to make a break. "AND I'LL DO THE REST IN YOUR BED."

I didn't know if what I said helped or made it laugh even more. But I heard Jilly say something to her and if anything that must have helped because I then heard the front door and Jilly came and closed the bathroom door to give me at least some privacy.

"I'm sorry for laughing."

When I came downstairs again Fly was back for some reason and I could do nothing else than glare at her- if these kinds of glares would kill there wouldn't have been much left of her.

"Edge was right though. These things usually aren't funny…" Fly was getting to almost laugh again. "But… it's you!"

She cracked down again and had to hold onto the kitchen counter not to fall. She stopped abruptly though when Jilly came into the room- pale in the face and holding onto the house phone.

"Edge and Anna have got it too." Jilly put the phone down and then laid a hand towards her stomach. "And if I'm not mistaken then me too." I gave her a grimace. "So can I trust you guys not to tear this whole place down if I go home?"

"Oh…" Fly pretended to be hesitant. "…I wouldn't be so sure about that. You don't want to leave us two alone… No, of course you can trust us. You go home, I hope you feel better soon."

"Feel better."

I took a glass of water while Jilly took her things and left the house- she actually didn't look well. Was that the way I'd looked the last few days? All sweaty and pale and disgusting?

"I can clean the toilet now." Fly said with a meaning look towards me. "But if you do anything after this you'll have to clean it up yourself."

I shook my head at her- did she really want to hear even more details about this?

"I'll just go back to bed."

This bug really was knocking me out. During the night I had switched in between sleeping and throwing up, now it was only early afternoon and I had to go to bed already, then slept until the next morning.

I did not feel like showering after all of this.

Without much hesitating I changed into my shorts, took a towel and my board and was on my way down to the beach when I heard a voice behind me.

"And where do you think you're going young man?" Fly asked in a pure Jilly- tone. "Are you really well enough for this?"

"I just. I'm going to go for a swim… I'm too tired and I might drown. But it feels like the only way to get rid of this sick- feeling. Besides, I need to check if my board have been kidnapped by an elephant- sized crow."

"What?"

"I have weird dreams when I have a temperature." I moaned and felt my own forehead. "And I don't think I do anymore so I'm going to go and have a swim and hopefully not drown and then I'm going to fall back asleep for another twenty-four hours."

Fly shrugged at what I said and mumbled something that I was lucky.

"Why would I be lucky? I could have missed a whole week of school for this but now I got it during the longest and best weekend of the whole year."

Fly grabbed her board and pulled her T- shirt off, we then ran together down to the water, almost competing, which she easily won.

I was still tired out of my mind. But feeling the salt water around me was way nicer than it had ever been before. And only lying on the board and drifting in whatever direction the slight wind pushed me was as nice as everything could have ever been.

I could just as well have fallen asleep there as I did a couple of hours later when I was showered and back into my own bed rather than Fly's.

Meanwhile Fly was in the kitchen for a minute, if I had been there with here I would have laughed at when she started feeling tired and achy. I would have teased her for saying that she never got ill and especially not with a stomach flu.

But I didn't meet Fly again when we stood in the driveway waiting for the others to arrive. And Fly was hiding very well how she was feeling.

Fly looked up towards me when we could hear the minivan drive up and nodded. Then we turned back and watched as Matt jumped out of the van and started throwing up right on the ground in the second he did so.

And then as Simmo also stumbled out and made his way up to the house with a hand towards his forehead and groaning.

"Oh man…" I shook my head tiredly and looked down towards Fly. "…This thing was contagious. Now are you sure you're still feeling alright?" Fly nodded and it looked as if she was doing it truthfully. "Well, first thing we have to do is to gather all the buckets and trash cans there are in this house? Can we do that?"

"I think we can…" Fly looked back towards the door when our friends started making their way one and one. "…You know… You and I make quite a good team when there's no one there to interrupt it. And I think we're going to have to stay working together for this… You check the ground floor and I'll check the second floor."

When I turned again I felt my stomach grumbling, and decided it was probably time to eat for the first time in three days.

Well, that was after I had sorted out finding all the trash cans and buckets this house had to offer.

"It's okay." I held back a smirk when Matt came in and slumped down on the couch while I placed a bucket in front of his feet. "You'll feel in a few days or so… Now, is there anything at all to eat around here? Like hotdogs or a burger?"

At the mention of food Matt moaned, and so did Simmo and Anna and Edge who had all slumped down in the couch side by side.

"Hmmm." Fly came back from upstairs and handed me a bucket and trash can to place them out. "I'm having a feeling no one in here will appreciate cooking in the kitchen and especially not mine or Anna's. Do you want to get out of this house for a while and get something?"

"Ugh… Actually I don't feel very well."

"I thought you had super powers and haven't had a stomach flu since you were five?"

"That was food poisoning. I haven't had a bug since I was three and I barely even remember it. I can't remember feeling like this though… Please tell me it gets better."

"Actually no." I placed the trash can I was holding next to her. "Or well… Actually it does get better at last but it doesn't. And if I say it does then I'll jinx it…" I patter her shoulder slightly.

"Just like I jinxed it from the start then. If I hadn't said that I never get ill then I wouldn't either. Right?"

"Right… Feel better soon all of you. But I just have to go and eat something now before I'll starve to death… But the thing is."

"Eurgh!" Simmo moaned. "I'll give you the money if you just get lost now. My wallet's in the front of the minivan, there's some cash in it so just take it all."

"Thanks."

"I thought you were going out so do it! Now!"

I guess it had a positive side to it to get ill when most of the others were away after all.

**Random fact (I always leave these at the end of a chapter. On oneshots I sometimes add more than one) **

Whale's Bay is not an actual place. But I just needed a random name for somewhere they could be going surfing. And then I thought of this beach called Kvalvika ("The whale bay" in Norwegian) That I visited once. And that had to do for a name.

I don't know German. But I thought Anna saying that was kind of funny when I thought of it. So I wrote it (In my first language, Swedish hahahaha) and sent it to my mum for translating- as she knows German. So credit for getting that to German goes to her.

The fact that Perri freaks out about getting ill is half because of her personality of course. Then half referring to the fact that she has Diabetes- since this would be set before everybody else knew about it. And of course, things like stomach flu or food poisoning could end up severe for someone who is Diabetic.

There was a lot of time Heath was only sleeping. But then, what was I supposed to write about? It would probably have been even worse if I had been dragging on on it.


End file.
